


No Safety In My Arms

by Pogue



Category: Fast & Furious (Movies), Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
Genre: (sort of), Alpha Luke Hobbs, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Canon Compliant, M/M, Omega Deckard Shaw, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Violence, additional warnings and ratings will change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25713565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pogue/pseuds/Pogue
Summary: Maybe it was the head-on collision with Toretto. Maybe it was finding out his little brother was in a coma. Perhaps it was the near eight years of being on the run as a wanted man, surviving by taking the jobs that no one else wanted to risk. Or maybe it was a combination of all of the above.Deckard didn’t know what was exactly responsible. And truthfully he didn’t care. The only fact that mattered now was that he was going into heat.If only he wasn't being hunted by Luke Hobbs, the Toretto family, and an entire secret military.
Relationships: Luke Hobbs/Deckard Shaw
Comments: 88
Kudos: 204





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been itching to write an A/B/O fic for a while now. This one takes place during the events of F7, but eventually diverts from canon. Hope you all like it!

Luke prided himself on rarely being bested in a fight. He chalked it up to his alpha nature, and some good old-fashioned pride.

Which is why being blown out of a window by Deckard Shaw bruised more than his body. 

He knew he should feel extremely grateful that he'd managed to walk away only needing some strong pain killers and a knee brace. The hospital had wanted to put it in a full cast, but Luke wasn’t ready to be benched yet. So they compromised. He’d stay in the hospital for 24 hours, and then he’d be allowed to go back to work.

The nurses weren’t happy about it, the coppery smell of judgement hung around them every time they mentioned his early release. But Luke was a little more concerned with taking down an international criminal than appeasing them. Once Shaw was behind bars, he promised himself he’d take it easy. Then again, considering how formidable an opponent he was, that could be a while.

But right now, Luke was stuck in the hospital for another 12 hours. Which he had a feeling would feel like a lifetime.

Toretto was out there, planning on facing down someone way out of his league.

_ "Me and my family can handle some hot-headed alpha." _ Dom had told Hobbs when he visited him in the hospital.

But the thing was, they weren't even sure about that. Dom had assumed since Owen Shaw had been an alpha, his older brother would be too. The same alignments tended to run in a family bloodline, and only alphas usually managed to achieve the level of criminal notoriety that Deckard had.

And yet during their fight, despite all the posturing and growling that accompanied two alphas brawling, Shaw never _smelled_ like an alpha. In fact, he didn't smell like anything at all. Probably the result of the cocktail of drugs most military and criminal organizations used to suppress their secondary gender. 

But the absence of any scent at all was unusual. And it unnerved Hobbs. A lot. He always liked to have all the answers, and Shaw was a walking enigma. A dangerous one at that.

And Luke desperately wanted to get him behind bars.

* * *

Dom didn't care that he was swinging a sledgehammer at a proverbial wasp nest. When someone kills one of your family members and blows up your house, you don’t take that lying down. 

No, you face it head-on. And in this case, Dom thought to himself as he stumbled out of his wrecked Plymouth, he meant that quite literally.

Shaw was standing beside his own car. Hands balled up in fists and feet planted firmly to the ground, posturing for a fight. Typical alpha.

“You never should have messed with a man's family.”

It wasn’t a threat, or even a warning. It felt more like a posthumous statement.

Dom planted his own feet, letting the sledgehammer knock against the asphalt and echo around their concrete surroundings, intermingling with his ringing ears. He was in the mood for a challenge. “I told your brother the same thing.”

He was rewarded with Shaw’s eyes narrowing, shifting on his feet like a predator itching to leap at the other alpha. Dom imagined using the hammer to knock Shaw out of the air when he pounced.

Except he didn’t. Deckard exhaled slowly and straightened his back. Interesting. Maybe he wasn’t as hot-headed as he first assumed.

Dom glanced over at their cars, annoyed to see that Shaw’s was the one to take the least damage. But after getting a better look at the interior, he understood why.

“Reinforced your chassis.” He said, almost to himself. “It’s like going into a ring with weighted gloves.”

Shaw scoffed. “Your mistake. I'm not here to play games.”

“See, you and me, we're from different worlds.” There was an odd weight to those words as he took a step forward. “Trust me, I've seen a lot meaner streets than the ones you're used to.”

Dom readjusted his hold on the sledgehammer. He wanted a fight, not a conversation. “Stick around. It's gonna get a lot meaner.”

The ringing in his ears stopped when Shaw pulled out a gun.

"You thought this was going to be a street fight?" Deckard asked.

They stared each other down, both daring the other to make the first move.

Just when Dom was beginning to question whether or not Shaw would actually pull the trigger, a shot rang out. Followed by dozens of others. Dom ducked and tried to identify where the shots were coming from. But it seemed like everywhere.

Deckard lurched when a bullet cut into his side, but to his credit that didn’t stop him from firing off shots of his own as he began to retreat.

Men dressed in dark combat gear repelled from the ceiling, while others emerged from the shadows and attempted to surround Dom and Deckard.

But Shaw was too fast for them, managing to escape up a stone staircase and out of view, leaving Dom to handle the gunmen. Although now that they’d stopped firing, he belatedly noted that none of the shots had been directed at him.

That didn’t stop him from defending himself as the masked men approached him though. Dom took out three, trapping one in a headlock before a voice cut through the space.

“Whoa, whoa. Easy, guys. We're on the same team here.”

Dom pivoted himself and his impromptu hostage to see a man in a dark suit and sunglasses emerging from an SUV. 

He took a deep breath. A number of the masked gunmen were alphas. That wasn’t a surprise. But the stranger, who Dom assumed was the leader, was a beta.

It wasn’t unheard of for betas to have management roles. In fact they excelled in those positions, since the general public saw them as not being influenced by their secondary genders. Alphas were considered too violent and impulsive; omegas too fragile and emotionally driven.

“Mr. Toretto,” The leader removed his sunglasses, revealing blue eyes that didn’t seem to fit into the secret military persona. “I'm here on the recommendation of a mutual friend of ours. Mr. Hobbs.”

Dom looked him up and down, knowing full-well that the man could smell the citrusy tang of suspicion radiating off him. “Who the hell are you?”

“Me? I'm just a guy. I'm Mr. Nobody.” The answer was delivered with a practiced flippancy that told Dom he’d probably never get the man’s real name.

“It’s a big entrance for a nobody.” Dom said, nodding in the direction Shaw had disappeared. “And the guy that put our mutual friend in the hospital? You just let him get away.”

Mr. Nobody smiled, raising his eyebrows. “I think I might have just saved your ass there, Dom.” He gestured to the man Dom still had in a headlock. “You think you could let go of my guy there? He's beginning to turn a little blue.”

For a moment, Dom hesitated. He still knew next to nothing about Mr. Nobody. He could very easily be lying about Hobbs. However, if he refused, there’s a good chance this would turn into a twelve-on-one fight. And Dom wasn’t a big fan of those odds.

He slowly released his hold on the gunman, earning himself a smile from their leader.

“I appreciate that.”

If Mr. Nobody was affected at all by Dom’s alpha posturing, he didn’t seem to let it show. Instead, he relaxed his shoulders and continued as if they were good acquaintances.

“Listen, Dom. There's a war going on between shadows and ghosts like me.” Mr. Nobody glanced down at a small pool of blood from where Shaw got shot. As he continued to speak, he crouched down and pulled a small pen-sized device out of his suit jacket. He pressed one end into the blood and clicked a button on the side. “You and your team unwittingly walked into the middle of it in London, and it appears it's now followed you home.”

After a second, Mr. Nobody stood and returned the device to his pocket. He straightened his clothes and looked at Dom. “I'm gonna have a beer. You're welcome to join me.”

He began to walk back to his SUV, his underlings slowly following after. And just as Dom was about to brush off the whole encounter and find a ride back to the cemetery...

“By the way, I can get you Deckard Shaw.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to those who have left comments on this fic! Your interest makes me excited to post the next update.  
> We're going to be getting various different perspectives throughout this fic, but I promise Luke and Deckard will always be at the core of the story. Sometimes it's just helpful interesting to get an outside perspective.  
> Hope you all enjoy!

After he defected to Team Toretto, Brian found he was always on edge when surrounded by military groups.

His job had been a special exception in the eyes of the police bureau. Part equality outreach, part opportunism on behalf of his commanding officer. The bureau had been testing to see how useful omegas could be in undercover investigative work. 

Which was one of the reasons why Brian was so determined to get Dom behind bars when they’d first crossed paths. It was unheard of for an omega to have that important a position in law enforcement, and he didn’t want to blow it. For himself, and for other omegas desperate for the same opportunities.

Then he got to know Dom and his family, including Mia. And he fell in love.

But even though he and Mia had bonded, he still felt uneasy as he and the rest of Dom’s team were led into Mr. Nobody’s bunker. 

He knew what alphas in the military tended to think of omegas. He’d had to grit his teeth and deal with the prejudice his whole career. He could smell the peppered anger mingling with copper as the military men sized them up.

Brian felt Letty take a subconscious step closer to him. Her alpha instincts obviously picked up on the hostility too and wanted to make sure he was alright.

“This is crazy.” Roman muttered beside them.

Dom filled them all in as best he could. Some hacker named Ramsey had designed a program that could turn any electronic device into a surveillance device. The idea of it being in the hands of a terrorist organization was unthinkable. But privately, Brian hated it existing at all. If some government bigshot decided he wanted to find and register any unbound omegas, something like God’s Eye could make that task a hell of a lot easier.

But he kept that thought to himself as Mr. Nobody filled them in on their mission.

“Our intelligence suggests that Ramsey will be transported by an armed motorcade through the Caucasus mountain range. If they clear this range and reach their destination, Ramsey is as good as gone.”

Roman waved a hand in the air like they were back in high school, earning himself an eye-roll from Tej. “So, let me get this straight. There's only one road that leads in or out, sheer drops on every side, a motorcade from hell protected by a small army from one mile in either direction?”

Mr. Nobody nodded like Roman’s summary had been the simplest thing in the world. “Yeah, that's about it.”

Sheppard, one of Nobody’s men stepped closer to the board, clearly attempting to take the lead. But Roman wasn’t having it.

“No, I’m not done.”

That was something Brian always appreciated about his long-time friend. Even though he was a beta, Roman didn’t let anyone else’s alignments intimidate him. If anything, he acted almost immune to the posturing that came with dealing with alphas like Sheppard.

Roman continued, emphasizing his words with the occasional gesture.

“So, you all wanted me to break into a police station. Fine. Then you asked me to stop a tank. I wasn't happy about it, but I did it. Then you came up with this brilliant idea to shoot down one of the largest airplanes ever. I shot that shit out of the sky.” He mimed shooting a gun. “It's nothing. But this right here, my friend, happens to be the stupidest idea I've ever heard of in my life.”

Tej looked up from his phone. “I forgot that you were the only one to bring the plane down.”

Brian shook his head, joining in with Tej. “No, no. The only thing I've ever seen him take down was "No Knees" Denise. Remember, at prom?”

“Really, Brian? You're gonna do that right here?”

Before Roman could continue with his point, a faint beeping sound came from Mr. Nobody’s jacket. He paused his little presentation and pulled a pen-shaped device from an inner pocket. Brian recognized it. They used them at the FBI to do quick blood tests on a suspect.

Mr. Nobody stilled as he stared at the side of the test. He shook the small device like it was a magic eight ball and checked again before giving a low whistle. “Well I’ll be damned.”

He turned away to the remaining soldiers. “Listen up gentlemen!”

Dom and his family moved as a single unit, stepping closer to Nobody and expecting him to offer more information regarding Ramsey. 

Instead, Mr. Nobody casually held the blood test above his head. “That rogue assassin that just made you all look like a bunch of incompetent cub scouts just so happens to be a pure-blooded unbound omega.”

Brian halted in his step beside Dom as murmurs spread throughout the compound. 

Deckard Shaw being an omega was a surprise. They had simply assumed he was an alpha like his brother. But then again, it wasn’t uncommon for omegas to use blockers to keep their alignment private. Brian had been proof enough of that. 

But it shouldn’t change anything. Not for them. Shaw had murdered a member of their family. And he needed to pay.

“Now I’m sure you boys have probably already guessed, but this changes some things.” Mr. Nobody continued.

“What kind of things?” Brian’s voice had an edge to it. He had a feeling knew what Nobody was going to say next.

Mr. Nobody paused as he met Brian’s gaze, sensing the rising hostility before turning back to his own men.

“Military-trained omegas are few and far between. Someone like Shaw would be far more valuable on our side than as an enemy.”

Dom took a step forward, clearly not liking the sound of that. Brian spotted the exact moment Toretto decided to refrain from vocalizing his thoughts. They still needed to get Shaw. And it’d be better to work with Mr. Nobody than compete for the same prize.

“So the hunt is on gentlemen.” Mr. Nobody checked his watch as the men around him began to mobilize. “Your new mission is to bring Shaw to me. Unharmed and _still_ unbound. I don’t care if he gives you a hard time, don’t damage the goods.”

“What about our deal?” Dom stepped closer to Nobody. Brian, and the rest of his family moved with him. “What about your hacker friend?”

“That deal’s still in play!” Mr. Nobody turned to the team and raised his hands placatingly. “We’ll focus on hunting down Shaw. Now that we know we can track his scent we have a better chance of finding him. Meanwhile you guys can go rescue Ramsey.”

“I don’t know man,” Roman said, watching as soldiers armed themselves with weapons. “This doesn’t feel right.”

“Shaw’s a criminal.” Nobody waved a hand in the air. “We’re still taking him off the street. If anything, we’re going to be able to keep him way more under control this way.”

“This way.” Brian repeated, crossing his arms. “What do you mean by that?”

Mr. Nobody looked at him, and for a moment his confident untouchable persona faltered. Recognition hummed like static then quickly flickered back to indifference. Although, as he continued, there was a new weighted acknowledgement in his tone.

“It would be a shame to let all that potential just rot in prison. If we could find a suitable alpha, we could harness--”

“By harness, you mean have some military alpha hotshot force a bond onto Shaw so he just becomes another agentless tool for the highest bidder?”

Mr. Nobody winced. “I wouldn’t put it like that.”

“But that’s what this is right?” Brian looked around the room. At his family. “Is anyone else not okay with this?”

Tej and Roman looked uncomfortable. Letty was avoiding eye contact, but Brian couldn’t fault her for that. It had to be so disorienting waking up with no memory of who you are, only knowing that you were bonded to someone you couldn’t remember. She was still trying to remember where she fit in all of this and didn’t want to cross any lines.

But Dom… Dom smelled like steel determination. Cold, unmoving. “If your plan’s changed then so has our deal. So, while the rest of my team is rescuing Ramsey, I’ll help you find Shaw.”

Brian gritted his teeth, but he knew arguing with Dom right now wouldn’t change anything.

He’d rather stay close as Nobody and his men start looking for Shaw. That way he might have a little more sway over what happens.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay another update! And you're finally getting some Deckard POV!!!  
> Thank you to everyone who commented on the last chapter. Your messages were so kind, supportive, and really made my day. Hope you like this one!

Maybe it was the head-on collision with Toretto. Maybe it was finding out his little brother was in a coma. Perhaps it was the near eight years of being on the run as a wanted man, surviving by taking the jobs that no one else wanted to risk. Or maybe it was a combination of everything, (with being shot as the proverbial cherry on top).

Deckard didn’t know what was exactly responsible. And truthfully, he didn’t care. The only fact that mattered now was that (despite the cocktail of suppressants he was on) he was going into heat.

_ Fuck. _

_ Fuck. Shit. Damn. How long had it been? _

Deckard ran the numbers through his head as he quickly packed up his stuff. Had it really been eight years? Why had it been that long?

His eyes darted toward the bed. Imagining how easy it would be to shove it into the corner with as many blankets and pillows he could find and just nest. But he couldn’t. If Mr. Nobody and his idiots managed to get a blood sample, they’d be descending on this place at any moment.

It wasn’t safe to nest. That was why.

But if he were very lucky, he could get to a place where it _was_ safe to nest before his heat started.

Every city had at least one Birdhouse.

A place that only omegas knew about, and were the only ones able to get in. They didn’t take names and didn’t care who you were as long as you needed a safe place to get through a heat.

When he was still in the military, he’d spent one of his heats at a Birdhouse in Budapest, before...

Deckard slung his bag over his shoulder and checked the hallway before exiting his room. He didn’t have time to dwell on the past. Not when the future was currently being such a pain.

He walked a block before he spotted what he was looking for.

There was a blue birdcage spray-painted on the wall of an alley. Deckard approached the art to get a closer look. A white owl was painted inside the cage, facing the exit of the alley.

He followed the direction the bird was looking until he spotted another white owl, this time flying away from the cage.

Deckard followed the trail as it changed between spray paint and small bronze statues fastened atop buildings. He was glancing over his shoulder the entire time, expecting to see armed men behind every corner. And all the while, he could feel an uncomfortable itch spreading under his skin.

Finally, Deckard spotted it.

There were some bricks missing in the corner of a building, too high up for anyone to reach. Inside the makeship ledge was a pale wooden nest carefully fastened by human hands. It had been somewhat obscured by twigs and straw that actual birds had added over time. No one would give it a second thought, unless they knew what they were looking for.

Deckard walked to the back alley and knocked five times on the iron door he found there. After a moment he repeated the knock.

The door cracked open. “Can I help you?” A deep voice asked.

“I heard about the owl.” Deckard pointed at the nest. “Do they stay here?”

The man on the other side of the door hesitated, obviously not expecting to hear those words. But after a moment, he responded with the next part of the code. “They stay when they need to. Are you interested in the bird?”

“The owl is lovely, but I’m interested in the nest.”

At the final coded phrase, the door opened, revealing a tall brawny man with a trimmed beard. He inhaled, getting Deckard’s scent before nodding. “How far off are you?”

Deckard shrugged and looked over his shoulder.

At his lack of response, the man offered. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Deckard nodded, looking up at the larger man. Another omega. He couldn’t remember the last time he just _talked_ with someone like him. At least, without there being other ulterior motives involved.

“I’m Will.” The man pushed the door open and gestured for Deckard to enter. “Come on in.”

* * *

The Los Angeles Birdhouse was nicer than Deckard had expected. The one in Budapest had felt like a hospital. This one reminded him more of a nice hotel.

He trailed after Will as the omega led him up a flight of stairs and to a kind of concierge desk where a woman was typing away at a computer.

“Danielle.” Will said. “We have a guest.”

The petite brunette looked up from her work. She smiled gently when she spotted Deckard. “Hey there. Is this your first time staying at a Birdhouse?”

“I stayed in your Budapest branch once.” Deckard shifted on his feet, unconsciously taking on an alpha stance before realizing what he was doing. He tried to assume a more relaxed pose, but it didn’t come quite as easy.

If Will or Danielle noticed, it didn’t show. But Deckard got the sense the duo was more perceptive that they let on. He hadn’t missed how neither of them had initiated any kind of physical contact. They’d probably picked up that he was on edge and wouldn’t have responded well to something like that.

Danielle nodded and moved from behind the desk. “Good. Then you know how this works. Do you have any questions? Scent preferences?”

It had been years since his last stay at one of these places, Deckard had nearly forgotten about all their features. The management could pump scents into the room you're staying in, customizing it to your personal preferences.

But then again, it’s not like Deckard had the time to think about stuff like that. The scented memory of firewood and chai crossed his mind, but he quickly brushed it aside.

Deckard shook his head. “No preference.”

Danielle nodded. “That’s fine. We’ll choose one of our more popular scents. Come on, I’ll show you to your room.”

She glanced at Will as they passed. “Make sure the alley’s been neutralized.”

Deckard was led up a flight of stairs to a single hallway with two doors on either side.

“This used to be a hotel.” Danielle offered. Her voice was soothing, distracting Deckard from the way his skin felt like it was on fire. “We refurbished it, tore out most of the rooms and added enough padding that your heat would be isolated to your room alone.”

They stopped in front of the last room at the end of the hallway. 

Danielle scanned her thumb on the pad outside the room then turned to Deckard. “Your turn. Once the computer scans your digit, only you will be able to unlock the door once it’s closed.”

He raised his hand, then hesitated. His fingerprints were one file at MI6, and he’d rather not trigger any security watches.

As if sensing his caution, Danielle averted her eyes. “Our security isn’t connected to any networks, so it can’t be hacked. And it erases its memory once you leave the room. We don’t keep anything on file besides whatever name you choose to give us and any preferences you might have. I can show you the process once your heat's over.”

If Deckard were in a clearer state of mind, he might have asked to see their process now. But a tired fogginess was clouding his mind, leaving his limbs feeling heavier than normal.

After a last hesitation, he pressed his thumb against the keypad, and the lock unbolted with a heavy click.

Danielle pulled open the heavily padded doors to reveal a surprisingly warm and comfortable room.

There was an Alaska king size bed in the center of the space. The mattress was built into the floor, sloping down in the center, and creating the perfect frame for an omega to nest.

Deckard entered and glanced at the wall of blankets and pillows opposite him, tempted to deposit the entire collection on top of the bed.

It had been a long time since he’d actually been able to nest. It was usually something omegas only did when they felt safe. Deckard was beginning to forget what that word even meant. He resisted the urge to use all the soft nesting material provided, and instead began choosing a select number of blankets and pillows.

Danielle stood by the door. “Would you like any medication to help with your heat?” 

Deckard paused and thought for a moment before saying “just half the dose, please.”

She nodded and disappeared down the hall. When she came back, she had a glass filled with a translucent liquid. It tasted bitter as Deckard drank it, but if it helped speed up his heat then he didn’t care.

“There’s an intercom next to the door if you want to get in touch, but this room is fully stocked with whatever you might need.” She smiled, adding as she closed the door behind her. “Including toys in the top drawer.”

Deckard blinked as the door buzzed and locked. After a moment, curiosity guided him to the top drawer of the dresser. Just like Danielle said, there was a wide assortment of toys ranging from vibrators to plugs of varying sizes. He wondered if every room had the same selection.

As Deckard closed the drawer, he became aware of the subtle scent of cedar wood filling the room, compliments of Management.

With nothing else to do, Deckard changed into the clothes the Birdhouse provided. Soft sweatpants and a thin Henley. He would have preferred to stay in his own, but knew that once his heat hit every miniscule discomfort would be heightened.

Speaking of discomfort…

Deckard used the small medical kit in his bag and cleaned and patched up the gunshot wound before tugging on the shirt. The bullet grazed his side, and the wound wasn’t so deep he’d need stitches. At least that was good news.

Deckard returned his clothes to his bag and traded them for a handgun. He stashed that under one of the pillows as he settled into the nest. 

It took a moment to situate things, surrounding himself with pillows and draping a heavy quilt over the entire spread. The drugs would be kicking in soon. Even with only taking half a dosage, Deckard knew he’d be out soon. A full dose would have sent him into a deep 36-hour sleep meant to speed him through his heat. But Deckard couldn’t risk being dead to the world for that long. Even here. He’d be a sitting duck.

Talking half of what Management had prescribed risked some discomfort, but he was fine with that compromise if it meant he could defend himself if Mr. Nobody and his goons managed to track him here.

Deckard felt his eyelids begin to droop and his limbs get heavy. He let that weight drag him into unconsciousness. The sooner he can get this over with and get back to avenging his brother, the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is my lifeblood.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who's commented and shown support for this story! It's been such a relief hearing that you're enjoying this fic diverting from canon and kind of doing its own things around the events of F7.  
> Your support and thoughts mean the world to me, and I hope you're all taking care of yourselves out there!

Dom watched as Mr. Nobody’s men spread out around the smashed cars that he and Shaw had left behind. They were looking for clues. Sniffing around for some kind of trail.

“So,” Mr. Nobody sidled up next to him. “do you think your friends will manage to rescue Ramsey without your leadership?”

Dom thought it over. Yes, the terrain and location weren’t ideal, but they used to rob giant cargo trucks all the time. Add that onto his family breaking him out of that prison van, and his crew has more than enough experience. 

Besides, how crazy could a simple rescue mission be? 

He shrugged. “Brian and Letty have it covered.” 

Nobody removed his sunglasses and busied himself with cleaning them off. “Mr. O'Connor didn’t seem pleased about being sent away.”

That was more than an understatement. Brian had been on edge ever since they found out Shaw was an omega.

He’d always been sensitive when it came to alignments. Which was understandable, all things considered. But Brian had a tendency to let criminals go if he thought it was the right thing to do (Dom had experienced that mercy first-hand). Deckard Shaw wasn’t like Dom though. He was a different breed entirely. He was an internationally wanted criminal. He declared war when he killed Han and blew up their house. Those weren’t the kind of people you give second chances to.

“He’ll get over it.” Dom said.

Brian might now be _happy_ , but he’ll get over it.

“Here!” Sheppard called. He was standing by the stairs where Deckard had escaped.

The other alphas crowded around the space, bending over and trying to get a good whiff.

“Got it.” One of the other men confirmed. “It’s faint.”

“He’s in distress. The scent will get stronger.” Mr. Nobody put his sunglasses back on and surveyed his subordinates. “In fact, considering the amount of stress he’s under, there’s a good chance he’ll be going into heat soon.”

The group’s energy reminded Dom of a guitar string tuned too tight. If he weren’t already bonded, he’d probably feel the same way. Even with that bond, he felt his hackles rise in anticipation for a hunt.

Mr. Nobody smiled. “Well, go on. Go get him.”

As if responding to a starting pistol, the alphas bolted after the scent. Some of them stopped every few paces to make sure they didn’t lose it, but Sheppard and a few others had already disappeared from view.

“I want him in one piece!” He called after them before turning back to Dom. “Did you want to join them, or are you going to be riding with me in the SUV?”

Dom cocked his eyebrow. “You’re not going to keep an eye on them?”

Mr. Nobody tapped the Bluetooth device in his ear. “Sheppard will keep me posted. Besides, I prefer AC. So, what’ll it be?”

A small instinctive part of Dom wanted to sprint after the other alphas. But they had a hell of a head start by now, and an air-conditioned car did sound nice. But just as he was about to answer, Mr. Nobody pressed a hand to his earpiece and frowned.

“Damn.” He met Dom’s eye. “Come on, we’ve gotta go. They lost the scent.”

* * *

They’d been spread out around the city for over an hour now, losing and picking up the scent again multiple times. And as far as Dom could tell, there was no discernable method or reason to Shaw’s trail.

Sheppard thought he was trying to make it difficult in case anyone followed him. But Dom wasn’t so sure. Shaw was going into heat. Which meant he was going to find somewhere safe as fast as possible. Not waste time running circles around the city. Which meant he was looking for something.

Dom crossed his arms in thought and looked around one of the many alleys they’d found themselves in. “What was he doing here?”

“Probably lost his bearings. Heats can make omegas feel all loopy and disoriented.” Mr. Nobody suggested. 

“Enough to stop in over a dozen alleys?”

Sheppard was sniffing around, trying to pick up the scent again. “Maybe he was looking for someplace to nest.”

Dom and Mr. Nobody shared a glance. Clearly, Sheppard didn’t have much experience with omegas.

“No one in their right mind would nest in public. Especially in a crowded city like L.A.. Omegas will always try to find someplace private, preferably where they feel safe.” Dom said.

Truthfully, he was still learning everything there was to know about that alignment. He’d come from a family of all alphas. Any interactions he had with omegas were pretty brief before Brian entered his life.

That had been a learning curve. The realities of Brian's alignment hadn't quite lined up with the facts and stories Dom had browsed from either health or adult magazines. Omegas weren't as fragile as Dom was led to believe. If anything, they were the alignment that Dom was least interested in crossing. And now he was doing just that by hunting down Shaw. Literally looking for a fight.

Sheppard brushed off his black suit pants. "Care to offer any suggestions since you're such an expert?"

Sensing the condescension in his tone, Dom smiled. "I’d start with wearing more appropriate clothes, but that’s not really something you can fix right now.”

Sheppard glared at him, his upper lip twitching into a near snarl. He took a step forward, but Mr. Nobody stretched out an arm. “Stand down soldier.” He gave Dom an apologetic shrug. “If you’d like to give us a hand. The sooner we get Shaw the better.”

Dom kept eye contact with Sheppard a moment longer, making sure the other alpha backed down first, before giving Mr. Nobody a nod.

He inhaled sharply, slowly circling the alley, until he caught the scent of something that didn’t stink of garbage. It smelled sweet. Like when he was little and baked with his mama. Warm brown sugar.

Dom focused on that scent. The trail was leading out of the alley, but there was a cluster of it near one of the walls.

He stood in the center of where the scent was strongest and looked around. There was nothing. Why would Shaw stop here? There had been the same kind of scent pockets in the previous alleys too. Sheppard had been too busy trying to find the end of the trail to notice. Or he just didn’t think it was important.

But Dom knew better. He glanced up, something reflective caught his eye.

“Does that mean anything?” He pointed at the small bronze owl anchored on the corner of one of the buildings.

Mr. Nobody removed his sunglasses and stared at the statue. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“What? What is it?” Sheppard asked.

“I thought it was just a myth.” Nobody seemed to say just to himself. Then smiled at Sheppard. “Gather the troops. I know where Shaw is going.”

* * *

Twenty minutes later Dom found himself and Mr. Nobody standing outside another alleyway to a three-story building.

“I’m not getting anything.” Dom said.

Shaw’s scent had strengthened as they followed the trail of statues. Their journey had quickened once Dom spotted the owl graffiti. But it had gone completely dead once they reached the final alley. Like Shaw had disappeared into thin air.

“You wouldn’t.” Mr. Nobody said from where he was looking up at a small wooden nest tucked into the building. “They would have sprayed it down with something to hide him.”

“They?” Dom asked. He looked up at the surrounding buildings. “Is Shaw working with someone.”

“No, he works alone.” Mr. Nobody waved a hand. “Tell me Dom, have you ever heard of the Birdhouses?”

“I’m assuming you don’t mean the kind that old ladies keep in their backyards.”

Mr. Nobody smiled at Dom’s remark. He took a moment to glance around, making sure none of his men were around to eavesdrop. But they were alone. Sheppard was busy rounding up the rest of the men. “There was a rumor a while back that a group of omegas created a series of secret outposts for themselves—completely off the grid—where they could safely get through their heats. The specifics were always a little muddy, since it _was_ just a rumor, but it seemed like the place was mostly used for omegas that were either not bonded or wished they weren’t.”

“A safe house.” Dom concluded, looking up at the nest. He wondered if Brian knew about these places, or if he’d stayed in one before.

“Exactly.” Mr. Nobody said. “Their alignments’ best kept secret. Alphas aren’t supposed to know about these places. Let alone cross the threshold.” He paused as if regretting his next words. “And we’re about to do just that.”

Dom was beginning to see why Brian had been so on edge. They were treading over things that went beyond just the law.

“So you’re just going to send Sheppard in there with his friends and drag Shaw out?” He asked. “Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.”

“No.” Mr. Nobody shook his head. “I’m going to send _you_ and Sheppard in there with three of my other men to extract Shaw with as little property damage as possible. Because something tells me you don’t want to see this place destroyed or discovered either.”

Before Dom could respond, a black SUV pulled into the alley. Sheppard stepped out with six other men and looked around.

“Another dead end?” He glanced at Dom, as if it were his fault.

“No, just the end of the trail.” Mr. Nobody corrected. He clasped his hands behind his back and began filling the men in. “Shaw is sheltered inside this building. He most likely had friends in the area and is holed up with them temporarily. We don’t want to pick a fight with whoever he’s aligned himself with, so this turned into a covert operation. In and out, men. I want as little damage as possible.”

He nodded to Dom. “Toretto will accompany Sheppard, McTavish, Wilson, and Freidman on the extraction mission.”

“With all due respect sir,” Sheppard began, but Nobody cut him off.

“Toretto’s here to protect his and his team’s interest in the mission.” Mr. Nobody stared down the alpha as he added, “He’s my eyes and ears in there. Treat him like it.”

Sheppard planted his feet, and for a moment Dom thought he was actually going to challenge his superior. But after a moment he exhaled and turned to Toretto. “You better not slow us down in there.”

“You won’t have to worry about that.” Dom said, sizing up the other men that would be accompanying them.

McTavish and Friedman looked like they walked out of an army recruitment commercial. They had more muscle and bulk compared to Sheppard, and both of their close-cropped blonde hair reminded Dom of the army dolls Letty used to play with when they were kids. The only thing that set them apart was the god-awful mustache covering McTavish’s upper lip. Wilson looked like the odd man out with his short ginger hair, and it only took a quick whiff to confirm he was a beta. That was good. He won’t be as much trouble as the other two.

It had surprised Dom how quickly Sheppard bought Mr. Nobody’s story about Shaw having allies. But he wasn’t about to complain. The fewer alphas who knew about places like this, the better.

The small team paused only long enough to replace their firearms with one-shot tranquilizer guns before regrouping in front of the building. Even Dom got one.

“On my lead.” Sheppard said, and waited for a nod of confirmation from the four of them before going through the entrance.

* * *

“Is there a problem?” The greying receptionist cautiously set down his book and eyed the five men.

“Private government business.” Sheppard stated. “We have reason to believe a wanted criminal is hiding somewhere in these premises and have the authority to search the building.”

Dom was no expert in how secret militaries were run. But he had the feeling “covert” didn’t mean announcing yourself at the front desk. He glanced at Sheppard, but the alpha was staring straight forward.

The receptionist gave them a confused stare. “You know this is an accounting firm, right?”

“Do we have permission to search the premises?” Sheppard asked again.

After a quick call to someone with a little more authority, the receptionist nodded.

Sheppard turned to Dom and the others. “We take the stairs. Search every floor and use your earpiece if you even think you’ve caught his scent.”

Again, in Dom’s opinion splitting up didn’t feel like the right thing to do. Shaw had already proven himself a formidable opponent. They’d probably need all of them to take him down.

But as they entered the stairwell, Dom got the sense that his opinion meant very little to Sheppard.

“McTavish and I will take the second floor. Friedman, Wilson, you take the top floor. Toretto, you stay on the bottom floor and make sure Shaw doesn’t sneak past us.”

Dom considered following them regardless of Sheppard’s instruction. Or maybe alert Mr. Nobody that his orders were being ignored.

But then he noticed something. Sheppard and his men climbed at least four flights of stairs before disappearing into the main building.

Strange.

Toretto walked out into the lobby and looked around. It had an impressive raised ceiling, but the height in the stairwell didn’t match. It was like there was a whole floor missing.

He climbed two flights and stared at the wall of the landing. Why wasn’t there a door here?

He ran his hand along the old paint, his pulse quickening when he felt the faintest remnants of old plaster.

Dom reached for his earpiece, then hesitated. How would he explain a hidden door to Sheppard without compromising the Birdhouse? Then again, it’s not like Sheppard seemed to care about his opinion anyway. He’d let Nobody come up with an explanation.

He pulled a pocketknife from his pants and released the blade. 

“Sheppard.” He spoke into his earpiece as he dug the knife into the wall and began dragging it through the plaster. The paint and old drywall fell away, slowly revealing a door that had been sealed off. “I’ve got a lead on Shaw.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got some news everyone! One of my current jobs just offered me a full-time position (which is super exciting). However I'm still on a year-long contract with my 2nd job, which means I'll be working a full-time job + a part time job for a while. That'll be taking up a lot of my time, but I'm planning on keeping this story updated as often as possible (ideally once a week). I just wanted to let you all know, so if things slow down a little you know it's not because I'm giving up on this story.  
> Thank you to everyone who's supported this fic and left comments so far!

Deckard stirred in his nest. He blinked sleepily, frowning. It was way too early for his heat to be over already, so why...

It took another moment for him to register what had woken him up. Something had banged against the bedroom door.

The realization made him bolt upwards. Or at least try to. But all he’d managed was barely slumping to an upright position.

He’d already entered the first phase of his heat. His body had gone pliant (which had been exacerbated by the drugs) and the sweeter tones of his scent had magnified, making it easier for alphas to find him. The slick would come next. And then the cramps and delirium.

Deckard grimaced.

He remembered his first heat. Squirming and writhing in his bed trying to alleviate the pain in his abdomen. His body demanding something Deckard hadn’t fully understood then. 

But he does now. Enough to know it’s better to deny those needs in exchange for being free.

Which is exactly what he’s at the risk of losing now.

Deckard began to drag himself out of the nest. Every cell in his body, every fiber of his being longed to return to the pile of blankets and soft pillows. To accept the inevitable.

He fought against those instincts as he managed to climb onto the cool wooden floor. Pushing himself up on shaky feet, Deckard stumbled closer to where he’d left his bag by the door. If he could just reach it...

Another crash sounded from the other side of the door. The solid oak wood shook but didn’t give. 

Deckard collapsed to his knees by his bag, panting as he unzipped the side pouch and retrieved what he was looking for.

He stared at the adrenaline shots in his hand. Two doses. It’ll have to do.

Gritting his teeth, Deckard pressed the EpiPen-like device to his thigh and triggered the needle. Pure adrenaline shot through his veins and made him gasp for breath. It did nothing to help alleviate the symptoms of his heat, but it’ll at least help him stand.

Deckard pulled himself to his feet. The shot would wear off in a half-hour. Less even, considering the drugs Danielle had given him.

The thought of the kind Birdhouse managers quickened Deckard’s pace as he approached the door. If whoever was on the other side had harmed her or Will…

He pressed his ear against the wall, listening.

There were at least three sets of footsteps. Someone was shouting, giving orders.

A moment later, gunshots were heard, and Deckard felt the muffled sound of them striking the other side of the door. But there were no signs of it weakening. Birdhouses were built for this kind of assault on the off chance that some angry possessive alpha wanted to claim something that wasn’t theirs to take.

Deckard was tempted to let whoever was on the other side wear themselves out or get bored. But that risked them returning with more friends, which would jeopardize the Birdhouse even more than it already was.

Deckard glanced back to the nest, considering if he had time to retrieve his handgun. But didn’t want to waste any time while the adrenaline was still coursing in his system. 

He’d have to be smart about this. The room was sealed, so there was no way of smelling who was outside. But he had a good feeling they were alphas. Some of Mr. Nobody’s soldiers here to fetch a prize.

They have the advantage. Brute force, numbers, and clear minds were on their side.

It would be risky, but Deckard was going to eliminate one of those things (alphas tend to get distracted when around an omega in heat). 

His thumb hovered over the keypad, giving Deckard a chance to compose himself.

Then he pressed it to the small scanner, and a moment later heard the mechanical clicking of locks being released.

* * *

Dom knew he wasn’t the only one to hear the door unlock. But as it turns out, he was the only one to hesitate. Apparently, none of the others thought it was suspicious that a bolted door just suddenly decided to unlock.

Things had already gone haywire. Sheppard and the other men had been prepared for skilled mercenaries when they entered the floor. They hadn’t been expecting two omegas armed to the teeth. Sheppard took a bullet to the shoulder before Friedman and Wilson took them down with their tranquilizer guns and stowed the omegas away in a closet.

Now they were about to face down Shaw with two tranquilizers less than they’d started with. 

Sheppard opened his mouth to speak, probably planning on saying something obnoxiously military-like. But instead, it just hung open. His canines elongating and salivating as the first breath of air from the sealed room hit the team.

Warm brown sugar wafted from the doorway, and Dom could feel his own mouthwatering instinctively. But he shook himself out of it and looked around. Sheppard, McTavish, and Friedman’s eyes were dilated in anticipation for a hunt. Only Wilson seemed to remain unfazed. He looked at Dom in confusion.

“That’s…” Friedman began, taking an unconscious step towards the door. 

His movement seemed to jumpstart Sheppard and McTavish into action as well.

“Come on.” Sheppard unholstered his gun and jostled the other two to be the first to enter the room. 

If only he hadn’t been so eager.

* * *

Just as Deckard anticipated, the alphas barreled into the room head-on. He managed to get the jump on the apparent leader, some military-looking idiot in a suit. Deckard caught his leg as he entered, sending the alpha tumbling over onto the rug. A tranquilizer gun slid from his grasp and across the floor.

_ So that was their plan _ , Deckard thought to himself. Well at least he wouldn’t have to worry about dodging bullets. One less thing to worry about. 

Speaking of dodging…

Deckard ducked, just barely avoiding getting ensnared by an alpha with a trimmed mustache. The larger man tried to pivot, but his bulk slowed him down enough for Deckard to disarm him and fire the tranquilizer dart into his chest.

The alpha started in surprise. He looked down at his chest, then back up at Deckard. 

“Son of a…” Before he could finish the sentiment, he’d lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor.

Someone shouted a warning, and then he was being tackled by two more men. One an alpha, the other a beta.

He snarled and twisted his body around, using their momentum to roll across the floor and into the nest. But by the time they were done rolling, the beta had still managed to land on his chest. Deckard thrashed about but couldn't manage to topple him. And it didn’t help that the alpha seemed very determined to keep his legs pinned, probably because the mattress and blankets smelled like an omega in heat. 

Deckard gritted his teeth when he felt the alpha’s hands begin to grope and rove more than necessary. The syrupy smell of arousal invaded his nostrils, making him growl. “Try it and die, asshole.” He threatened.

The alpha’s hands stilled a moment. And the beta looked back to see what was going on.

That was all the time Deckard needed.

While the two were distracted, he reached under one of the pillows and retrieved his handgun.

Deckard distantly recognized the sound of Toretto shouting as he trained the gun on the ginger beta and pulled the trigger. 

Blood sprayed across the room as the man fell off his chest.

“Shaw!” Toretto was quickly approaching the nest. 

His body ached, and Deckard could feel the adrenaline beginning to run out much sooner than he’d hoped. But he fought off the exhaustion and turned his gun on the alpha pinning him down, firing two shots each into his knees. Which was stupid, since that meant he only had one shot left. But the bastard had it coming.

Ignoring their screams, Deckard kicked both bodies off him and pushed himself into a standing position just in time to feel a dart pierce his skin. Deckard gasped and grasped his neck. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Toretto lowering the tranquilizer gun to his side.

* * *

Dom watched in fascination as Deckard’s knees began to buckle beneath him. The same dosage had knocked McTavish out cold in a matter of seconds, and he was nearly twice Shaw’s size. 

Deckard met his stare, glaring as he pulled the dart from his neck and dropping it to the floor.

“Fuck.” He muttered and pulled something out of his pocket. It looked like an EpiPen.

The thought that maybe Dom should stop him from doing whatever it was Shaw was planning, came a moment too late. Deckard stabbed the device into his leg and growled when it released something into his system.

In a matter of a few breaths, Deckard was standing straight again. His eyes burned with anger as he refocused on Dom. 

Well, shit.

He barely had time to dodge the shot that was aimed at his head. The bullet splintered the oak door behind him as Dom charged the omega.

Shaw cursed and threw the handgun, but Dom dodged that too. Something told him Deckard wasn’t working at the top of his game. That was good. He could use that.

They met in the middle of the room, bodies slamming against each other with enough force to make Dom's teeth knock together with a painful click.

He'd seen Brian when he was in the middle of a heat. O'Conner had been lethargic and sensitive to any physical or auditory sensation, just wanting to rest.

This was nothing like that.

Shaw was snapped at him with his teeth, scratching and pulling and reminding him of a feral animal fighting for its life.

Now that his body wasn't disguised by multiple layers of clothing, Dom could see that Shaw was a lot leaner than he had assumed. It seemed like everything he had done was meant to project that he was an alpha. Like those non-venomous snakes that masquerade as rattlers.

Dom had to hand it to Shaw. Passing as an alpha for this long couldn’t have been easy. He understood why, too. It had been less than 24 hours since they’d discovered his true alignment, and people were already trying to use him for their own gains.

If Deckard had been anyone else…

But he wasn’t. He was the man that blew up Dom’s house. That murdered his friend. Shaw was the older brother of the man who kept Letty from him. He wasn’t innocent. And him being an omega didn’t change any of that. 

He brought him fist down onto Shaw’s bullet wound, earning a satisfying cry of pain from the other man. Dom had the weight advantage in this fight, but so far that hadn’t seemed to matter. It hadn’t mattered to any of Mr. Nobody’s other men either.

* * *

Deckard gritted his teeth and brought his knee up, jamming it into Dom’s side and making the alpha wince and release his hold. He put some space between them as they circled each other.

“You run into anyone on your way up here?” Deckard asked. He didn’t know how much Toretto or his friends knew about the Birdhouse. But he needed to know if Will and Danielle were alright.

Dom cocked his head to the side, clearly not expecting the question. “Yeah. Why, were they friends of yours?”

He bristled at how that response was framed in the past tense. “For your sake they better still be alive.”

Toretto was smart enough to keep his back to the door, blocking Deckard’s one escape route. “They’ll have a nasty headache once they wake up, but aside from that they’ll be fine. I can make sure they stay that way if you give yourself up.”

He was bluffing. Toretto didn’t have that kind of power. And if it were always Mr. Nobody’s plan to use Danielle and Will as bargaining chips, his men would have kept them close when breaking into Deckard’s room. It was good quick thinking on the alpha’s part. And it might have worked on someone else. But Deckard knew better.

He smiled. “Threaten them again and--”

Deckard’s words were cut off as he felt another needle pierce his back. He spun around. The first alpha he’d dropped, the leader, was frozen with his arm outstretched and tranquilizer gun in hand. The dart was buried in between his shoulders, just out of reach for Deckard to pluck it out before all the chemicals entered his blood stream.

He could already feel them taking effect as he stumbled and turned back to Toretto.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

* * *

Dom stared impassively as Shaw crumpled to the ground like a broken marionette. The haggard rise and fall of his chest was the only sign of life.

“Piece of shit.” Sheppard growled as he stalked over to Shaw. He drew his leg back and delivered a quick series of hard kicks into the prone man’s chest and abdomen. Deckard was either already unconscious or two weak to react.

Dom felt his body stutter into action.

“Stop!” He pushed at the other alpha and ended up standing over the omega. If anyone had told him earlier today that he’d be defending Shaw, Dom would have called them a liar. But beating on someone who can’t defend themselves wasn’t right.

Sheppard turned on Dom now. Glaring at him. "He shot my men." 

"So we should take care of them instead of wasting time on Shaw."

He had a point and Sheppard knew it. The alpha's gaze shifted to where Wilson and Friedman lay moaning beside the nest.

"Contact the boss and take care of Shaw. I'll start patching them up."

Normally Dom would have rebelled against being given orders like that. But right now, they had bigger things to worry about than his pride. Wilson had already lost a lot of blood.

Dom glanced around the room. His eyes landing on Shaw's duffle bag sitting by the door.

He pressds his com-link as he crouched down next to it and began rifling through its contents. "Nobody. We've got Shaw."

"Excellent." Came the crisp response. "What’s the damage?"

Dom glanced around the room.

"Mild property damage. The owners are knocked out but otherwise unharmed. McTavish is out, and Friedman and Wilson are in need of a medic."

“Well, that’s better than I’d expected. I'll send in some help." The radio clicked silent.

Dom found two rolls of gauze. 

"Here." He called to get Sheppard's attention, tossing the soldier the first roll for Wilson and Friedman.

He used the other wrappings to bind Deckard's hands and arms behind his back on the off chance that the omega managed to muster up another burst of energy.

As a second thought, Dom wrapped a strip of gauze around Deckard’s neck, covering his scent gland so the other alphas weren’t as affected by his heat. It wouldn’t take care of everything. But it was better than nothing.

It was strange. They’d caught Shaw, getting Dom and Mr. Nobody exactly what they’d wanted.

So why did things feel far from over?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want you can help me celebrate my (early) birthday by sharing what you think of this fic!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The new work schedule is kicking my butt but hopefully it'll begin to settle down, but ANYWAY!  
> Did someone ask for Luke and Deckard POV? Because that's the whole update. Mazel tov!

It irked Luke that he couldn’t go straight from the hospital back to hunting Shaw. 

But with some strong-arming from Sam (and Aunt Lisa), he found himself being chauffeured to the pharmacy then back home. Only then, after a hot shower and a change of clothes, was he begrudgingly allowed out of their sight.

Luke waved at Sam as he pulled out of the driveway, snorting at the frown she was sporting.

He wasn’t used to being ordered around. He wasn’t used to _letting_ himself be ordered around. But when Sam planted her feet and glared up at him like the little fledgling alpha she was, he couldn’t help but comply. She hadn’t fully presented yet, but all the signs were there. And Luke couldn’t help but be proud. 

_ And quietly relieved _ , Luke thought to himself as he reached Nowhere.

He knew what kind of life awaited omegas. He knew betas had it better, but even then, it felt like the whole world was meant for alphas. And as unfair as he knew that was, he’d rather Sam have as much of an advantage in life as possible.

As he entered Nowhere, Luke’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of screaming. It took him a moment to register that they were man-made.

Without thinking, Luke’s feet carried him closer to the source of the noise. Which apparently was the med bay. 

The sight that greeted him made Luke freeze in shock, unable to process what was happening.

Sheppard and three other soldiers were holding Deckard Shaw down on one of the examination tables while Dr. Jamil and two other soldiers were trying to strap him down at every major joint. They’d managed to harness his legs and one of his arms, but it seemed to have little effect.

Deckard Shaw fought like a wild animal, snapping and spitting as Doctor Jamil practically knelt on his chest to fasten the restraints across his torso.

“What the hell is going on?” Luke asked, scanning the room. Three of Nobody’s men were lying on hospital beds in varying states of consciousness. Blood was smeared on the different white and silver surfaces, all leading back to Shaw and Sheppard.

But what took him by surprise, was the powerfully sweet scent overwhelming the sterile room and metallic smell of blood. 

Luke closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, following the scent until he found the source. When he opened them again, he was met with Shaw’s scorching stare. 

“He’s an omega.”

It wasn’t a question. At this point no one was denying it.

“Yes, he is.” Mr. Nobody said, entering the room behind Luke. “A new development since your hospitalization.”

Luke turned to face Mr. Nobody, but the terrible noise remained. All the pieces seemed to click into place, strangely making sense. Shaw’s lack of a scent. How underneath all that perfect alpha posturing it felt like something was missing. The clues were all there. But Deckard had done such a good job of blending in that no one gave him a second glance.

Luke's next question surprised him.

“Is he hurt?”

It was Sheppard that answered. “He hurt us more than we hurt him.” The alpha growled, pinning Deckard’s head down against the bed while fastening the leather strap around his neck. 

Dr. Jamil gave Sheppard a sharp glare until the alpha backed down, then he turned back to Luke. "He's lost some blood and is under a great deal of stress—obviously—but nothing seriously life-threatening."

The doctor was having a hard time strapping Deckard down. Even with only one arm free, Shaw continued to fight. Pushing, clawing, and swiping at anyone within reach.

A part of Luke felt like he should step in and help fasten the last restraint, but something about this didn’t sit right with him. As much as he hated Shaw, he wasn’t sure if he deserved this kind of treatment.

Luke was expecting to gloat. To look at Shaw through prison bars and leave him with some kind of smart and witty remark to stew over while rotting in his cell.

But now…?

Any kind of gloating felt as if it would be in very poor taste. And maybe that was the problem. Shaw wasn’t being treated like a criminal anymore. He was being treated like an experiment.

Deckard was completely fastened to the examination table now. But it didn’t keep him from struggling. His body fought against the restraints, causing the leather straps to dig into his skin.

Luke found himself walking over to the bed and pressing a hand against the crook of Deckard’s shoulder, cupping his neck. The omega immediately stilled under his touch. “Stop it. You’re hurting yourself.”

Luke didn’t pay attention to the way Sheppard was glaring at him, or how Mr. Nobody was watching him with a calculated stare. His alpha nature just wanted to help calm a distressed omega.

After a moment Shaw’s eyes refocused. His gaze homed in on Luke, and he glared. “Fuck. off.”

Before Luke could respond, the med bay doors were forcefully pushed open. A man walked in, clad in full military General regalia, and followed by two blacksuits.

"General Hansen." Mr. Nobody addressed the older man. "I wasn't expecting you here so soon."

The general squinted from Mr. Nobody to where Deckard was still strapped to the table. "Is that him?"

Luke withdrew his hand, suddenly aware of how close he'd been to Shaw. And how intimate his hand grazing the other man's neck felt.

On the plus side, Shaw had stopped fighting his restraints. Instead, his attention was entirely focused on the general. Watching, calculating, as if he were a predator and not an omega strapped to a table.

At Mr. Nobody’s nod of confirmation, Hansen approached. He surveyed Deckard with a scrupulous stare.

When he reached the table, General Hansen bent down and inhaled Shaw's scent sharply. Luke felt his hackles rise of their own accord, not liking the dehumanizing appraisal. Deckard must not have liked it either because his head snapped up as far as he could reach, trying to snap at the general. But he came just short, his teeth clicking together in an angry snarl that earned him a backhanded slap from Hansen.

"General. Please." Dr. Jamil stepped between Hansen and Deckard.

The general glared at Dr. Jamil in response. “Why is he going into heat so quickly? Omega’s shouldn’t be producing slick this soon into their cycle.”

Luke felt his jaw tighten as the doctor sputtered for a response. He’d have to be nose-blind to miss the scent of Shaw’s slick. But heats were such a private thing that commenting on that kind of stuff was rude. Normally an omega wouldn’t be in such a public area once this stage of their heat hit. 

Dr. Jamil regained his composure. “He… Normally yes, a heat cycle is meant to last much longer. There’s a good chance he’s taken something to help speed up some of the-”

“Reverse it.”

Shaw stiffened on the table and sent a warning glare toward Dr. Jamil and the general. But no one was paying attention to him. Except for Luke, that is. But it’s not like he could do anything about it.

Dr. Jamil pursed his lips. “As I’ve said before, we don’t know what he’s already taken. Dosing him with something like Minzoplan could have unforeseen side-effects and-”

“Agent Philips.” Hanses interrupted. 

Without another word, both blacksuits moved forward. One stayed close to Dr. Jamil in case he tried to intervene. The other began searching through the medical supplies until he came back with a vial of dark liquid.

Out of the corner of his eye, Luke noticed Shaw trying to arch and tilt his head to watch what the suits were doing.

Dr. Jamil pressed on as one of the blacksuits used a needle to withdraw a dosage. “We took a blood sample. If we just wait for the full results, we’ll know how best to-”

“I didn’t come here to wait.” General Hanson took the prepared needle from one of the blacksuits and turned back to Shaw. “The alpha I’ve selected is flying in from Texas this afternoon. I need the omega ready for him.”

Hanson raised his arm and prepared to stab it into Shaw’s chest when Luke reacted. Without thinking, his hand shot out and gripped the general’s arm, stopping its descent.

He could feel everyone’s eyes on him, Shaw’s included, as he stared down Hansen.

“With all due respect, sir, maybe we should listen to the doctor.”

General Hansen’s eyes narrowed as he sized Hobbs up. “Stand down soldier. Do you really want to get court marshalled over this? Over a criminal?”

Luke could feel Shaw’s pulse thrumming against the energy in the room. The naturally sweet scent of his heat was peppered with the tinge of confusion. Luke was confusing himself right now too.

“This isn’t how we treat criminals.” He finally said.

Hansen pulled his hand free and glared. He looked like he was about ready to order everyone that wasn't a doctor or on his payroll out of the room when the monitor on the desk chimed, prompting Dr. Jamil to stride to the computer and review the report.

Luke glanced over the general's shoulder to where Mr. Nobody was walking over to stand beside Dr. Jamil. It didn't look like he'd be stepping in anytime soon. Normally Luke admired the man’s ability to adapt to every challenge and changing circumstance. But now wasn’t the time to sit back and watch how things play out.

His eyes trailed downward to the omega on the table. Deckard still hadn't said a word since he told Luke to fuck off. But not because his heat had pulled him in a fuzzy delirium. Shaw's eyes were focused, darting around the room clearly looking for some kind of escape. Luke had the feeling, if given enough time, he’d be able to get out of his restraints and somehow escape. 

“That can’t be right.” Dr. Jamil muttered, interrupting Luke’s thoughts.

Mr. Nobody peaked over at the monitor. “What can’t be right?”

Without answering, Jamil grasped a pair of medical scissors and returned to where Deckard was still strapped down to the table. Shaw flinched away as he brought the scissors to his neck and carefully snipped away the gauze that someone had used to cover his scent gland.

The smell of warm buttered sugar intensified, letting Luke catch the faint hint of honeyed chai. It was intoxicating, and he felt himself taking an unconscious step closer.

But Dr. Jamil seemed unfazed. He removed the last of the wrappings and grazed his fingers along Shaw’s neck, making the omega shiver in response.

Luke leaned in closer. His rational mind told himself he was just trying to see what the doctor was looking for. But the alpha part of his brain just wanted to catch a glimpse of Deckard’s pale neck.

“He’s…” Jamil’s fingers settled on a scar located right along his scent gland. “He’s been bonded.”

“What?” Hansen demanded, leaning over Shaw to try and see what the doctor was looking at.

Nobody squinted at the screen as if that would make him suddenly understand the scientific jargon. “But my test said-”

“Your test was right.” Dr. Jamil cut in. “Shaw _had_ been bound to an alpha before. He’s just… not anymore.”

A silence fell over the room, and Luke found himself taking a step back and staring down at Shaw again.

Despite the straps holding the omega down, he was still glaring at him. Like he was one snarl away from tearing out Hobbs’ throat.

Omegas don’t just _stop_ being bonded to alphas. When an omega dies their alpha can go on living, albeit never really whole again. But when the alpha dies, so does the omega. 

There were a number of scientific studies trying to explain the phenomenon. Luke wasn’t a huge supporter of the belief that omegas just can’t go on living without someone taking care of them. Or that they died of a broken heart. That was an old-fashioned notion that did more harm than good.

But the fact still remained that, if Shaw had actually been bound to an alpha and that bond had been broken, he should be dead right now.

* * *

Deckard didn’t like the look Hobbs was giving him. A strange mixture of pity and disbelief. He didn’t get to have opinions on him. He didn’t get to have anything to do with Deckard.

“Well does that affect anything? Can he still…?” Mr. Nobody vaguely gestured toward him. 

Understanding the question, Dr. Jamil shook his head. “For all intended purposes, he is still an unbound omega. He should still be able to bond with an alpha.”

They talked about Deckard like he wasn’t even there. Like he was some inanimate thing that had no control or understanding of what happened to him. Once he got out of these restraints, Deckard was looking forward to showing them just how wrong they were.

“What about everything else?” General Hansen asked, readjusting his hold on the needle.

Dr. Jamil looked confused a moment, then a look of disgust marred his features. 

“It’s far too early to perform any kind of surgery while he’s in such unstable conditions.”

Deckard fought the urge to roll his eyes. He was hardly the fragile unstable omega they’d mistaken him for. But right now, he was a little more concerned with whatever surgeries they were referencing.

General Hanson stepped closer to Shaw and placed a hand on the table he was strapped down on. “We can’t have such a valuable asset being taken out of commission because Sergeant Briggs got him pregnant.”

Deckard went rigid. They couldn’t possibly mean…

“Well then maybe you should teach your alpha some self-control instead of treating omegas like pets.”

“You want to sterilize him?”

Hobbs was staring at Hansen, so Deckard couldn’t quite read his expression from where he was lying. But he sounded disgusted. 

In any other circumstance, Deckard wouldn’t mind someone being upset on his behalf (although it had been a long time since that had happened). But something about Luke Hobbs taking his side got under Deckard’s skin.

Hansen ignored Hobbs’s question and instead continued to glare at Dr. Jamil. “If you think I’m going to prioritize this criminal over my own men, you’re mistaken.” 

Without further warning, the general turned and stabbed the needle into Shaw’s chest.

Deckard couldn’t keep himself from crying out. He squeezed his eyes shut, wincing as the cold liquid was pumped through his veins. His ears were ringing, and the corners of his vision began to blur.

The people around him were still talking. Yelling. But he couldn’t focus on any one word. Panic caused Deckard’s pulse to spike when he realized that darkness was creeping in at the corners of his vision, overwhelming his consciousness. But he couldn’t fight the drugs flooding his system. Couldn’t do anything as the different voices faded into nothingness.

An instant later he jolted up, causing the leather strap across his neck to strangle him and induce a coughing fit.

Someone was talking, using a soothing tone that was probably meant to calm him down. But Deckard had a feeling he wasn’t going to calm down anytime soon. Not until his heat was over and he escaped this place.

Deckard came back to himself when he felt a second needle prick the sensitive skin on his neck.

"That should help." Dr. Jamil spoke gently, expertly removing the needle so he barely felt it. "I'm sorry. He shouldn't have done that."

Deckard glanced around the room and winced. Time must have passed because everyone besides Dr. Jamil had disappeared. Deckard wondered how much time he had lost. That wasn't good. He needed to stay sharp if he wanted to get out of here in one piece.

The doctor was staring at him attentively. Deckard considered continuing the silent treatment, but he could sense the remorse and sympathy wafting off the beta.

Deckard swallowed, wincing again at how dry his throat was. “If you feel so bad you could let me go.”

Dr. Jamil averted his eyes, looking uncomfortable. Deckard found his mouth twitching into a smile despite his current position.

“I’m kidding.”

The man beside him looked genuinely taken aback. He smiled nervously and stepped away to his computer to perform some kind of busywork.

Deckard didn’t blame him. He must look quite the sight. His tongue darted out, tasting the blood that was still splattered across his face.

He took this time to take stock of things. His mind didn’t feel quite as foggy as it had been at the Birdhouse. And that burning feeling under his skin had subsided somewhat. It almost felt like he’d taken some mild suppressants.

Deckard furrowed his brow and strained to look over to where Dr. Jamil was standing. “What did you give me?”

The doctor looked up from his computer and squinted over his wide-rimmed glasses. “Nothing too severe. Just some Pentoxafile. Omegas regularly use it to help regulate their heats to a normal cycle.”

A sharp bolt of panic shot up Deckard’s spine. He tried to quell it, shifting on the table as best he could.

“So… If I took something to speed up my heat, whatever you gave me would balance my heat back to a normal length.”

“Exactly.”

Deckard licked his lips. “And what if I only took half?” His voice sounded noticeably hoarse and on edge.

Dr. Jamil’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What?”

Deckard took in a shuddering breath, already feeling his body rebelling against the messy cocktail of drugs it had been subjected to. “I’d only taken half the dose to speed up the heat.”

The doctor could do the math just as well as Deckard. His eyes widened in concern.

They didn’t just return his heat to the normal cycle. They’d extended it. 

"Shit." Dr. Jamil hissed through his teeth as he rolled his chair back over to the computer, clearly looking for guidance or fix for their current predicament.

Deckard watched him work, trying to ignore the slowly building heat returning his abdomen. 

He absently fingered the pen he’d lifted from General Hansen while his back was turned. The small writing utensil was safely tucked up Deckard's sleeve. 

Taking advantage of the doctor’s nervous state, he asked. “What are they going to do with me?”

Dr. Jamil glanced over from his computer, then back to the screen. They’re prepping an isolation pod. Some place where you and their alpha can bond without being disturbed.”

Deckard had heard of those. The military’s solution to helping an omega get through their heat without letting their scent ‘upset’ or distract anyone. But the idea of being stuck in one of those cramped rooms with an alpha was… not appealing to say the least. Especially since those pods were designed with a time-release lock. Once it closes, it doesn’t open again for five days.

Deckard relaxed into this table. He needed to conserve his energy, especially since he didn’t know what to expect of this heat.

But they’d have to transport him to the isolation pod at some point. And that’s when he’d make his escape.

He was going to get out of here, Deckard told himself. 

And he planned to leave some bodies in his wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who has commented on this fic so far!  
> If you have any questions (or just want to talk) feel free to message me at possiblypogue on tumblr!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How long has it been??? I'm so sorry for the wait, working over 55 hours a week is really messing with me, but I think I'm finally starting to get used to my new schedule.   
> The good news is, you get a longer chapter to make up for the wait. Thank you so much for your kind words and comments so far. It was really kind of some of you to check in and make sure I'm doing okay. I hope everyone is doing alright as well.

Dom sat pensively by the entrance to the garage, waiting for his team to return.

Capturing Shaw had gone well, all things considered.

No one had died, and a dangerous criminal was off the streets. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Hopefully that would fade once his family got back.

As if on cue, the roar of car engines preceded the arrival of his crew.

Dom rose to stand, meeting Letty halfway as she stepped out of her car.

“Hey.” She greeted him.

“Hey yourself.” He smiled, earning a little half-smile in return.

Dom refused to see Letty’s return from the dead as anything but a blessing. But admittedly the journey had been bumpy. She was playing catchup with a relationship that had lasted practically their entire lives. As much as he wanted to go back to exactly the way things were, they’d both need time. Letty, to get used to being in a relationship and figuring out her boundaries. And Dom, to mourn the relationship he once had with Letty and starting over again.

But he was patient. Whenever Letty was ready, he’d be there.

“How’d it go?”

Letty looked over her shoulder to where Roman and Tej were crowding behind Brian as he helped a young woman out of his car.

She turned back to Dom with an easier smile. “The guys seem pretty attached to Ramsey already.”

Dom watched as some of Mr. Nobody’s men met them and helped escort the woman toward where the tech hub was located. “Not exactly what I imagined.”

“Trust me, we definitely had that conversation on the drive back.”

Brian caught Dom’s gaze and paused. After a moment he said something to Tej and Roman and nodded at the two as they followed after Ramsey. Then he turned and began walking over to Dom.

“I’m going to give the two of you some space.” Letty said before marching off in Roman and Tej’s direction, leaving Dom and Brian alone in the big empty garage.

Brian rested his hands on his hips. “You alright?”

Dom glanced down at some of the bruises and scrapes that Shaw had left behind. He looked back at his friend and shrugged. “I’ve had worse boxing with Letty.”

Brian’s mouth momentarily twitched into a smile before turning into a thinly set line. He averted his eyes. “And Shaw?”

There was a lot more packed behind those two words. And Dom had the feeling that question was just the precursor to a much longer conversation.

He nodded, and the tightness in Brian’s face did not go away. If anything, his features appeared more strained.

He looked around the space. “Is he here, or…?”

“-Did we kill him?” Dom finished the question. He had a feeling Brian would have preferred that answer. “He’s here. Mr. Nobody had him taken to the medical wing.”

There was a citrusy bite surrounding Brian, and the unease he was feeling made it turn sour. But Dom ignored that scent, instead choosing to focus on a question that had been nagging at his brain ever since they found Shaw.

“Did you know he’d try to find a Birdhouse?”

Recognition and surprise ignited Brian’s eyes. He swallowed. “How did you hear about…”

“You wanted him to get away, didn’t you?” Dom took his lack of response for admittance. “Why?”

“Because of what they’re going to do to him.” Brian finally said.

“Shaw killed Han.” Dom stepped closer. “He almost killed Mia and your son. Are you saying he deserves better?”

“It’s not about what he deserves Dom. It’s about you being willing to look the other way just for revenge.”

“Does it look like I’m looking away to you?”

Brian stared unblinking at him.

The sharp and acrid scent of peppercorn filled the space to the point that even some of Mr. Nobody’s soldiers looked around with unease.

“We’re not the ones deciding how he’s going to be punished.” Brian said sharply. “ _They_ are.” 

He tilted his head in the direction of Nobody’s soldiers. “They’re going to force Shaw to bond with an alpha so they can use him.”

Dom slowly shook his head. “This isn’t our problem, O’Conner.”

He turned to walk away. 

“And if that were me?” Brian’s words made him stop in his tracks. “What if they were trying to do the same to me?”

“You and Mia are already bonded.”

“But if I weren’t.” Brian pressed. “These people would view me as the same kind of asset.”

“I wouldn’t let that happen.”

“And what about the next unbound omega they come across?” Brian voice was strained. “This is always how it starts Dom. These kinds of people will always find ways to justify their actions.”

That thought made Dom’s stomach clench. He spoke without turning around.

“Shaw isn’t our responsibility.”

Brian's voice was urgent, pleading. It reminded Dom of when the omega was first beginning to ingratiate himself into their family. “I’m not asking for us to forgive him, or take him in. But we can’t just let them do this.”

Dom turned and met his eyes. Deep down, he knew Brian was right. As usual. But he had a feeling Mr. Nobody and his friends wouldn't take kindly to them meddling.

And the last thing Dom wanted was for Nobody to direct his anger and resources on Dom's family. 

"There's nothing we can do about it, Brian." He said, slowly walking away. 

* * *

Luke was not proud of the fact that he had to be practically forced out of the medbay. Honestly, he was a little confused at himself.

What Mr. Nobody and General Hansen were planning to do to Shaw was awful. But Luke had seen his fair share of awful during his career in the military. It shouldn't have upset him. But it did.

Or maybe upset wasn't the right word. 

The word possessive came to mind, but Luke immediately brushed it aside.

He wasn't possessive of Shaw. He didn't have the right to be. It's just that, Luke prided himself on always looking out for those who were unable to protect themselves. He knew firsthand that Shaw wasn't one of those people. But seeing him strapped down felt wrong. Like seeing a tiger in a cage.

There was something else bothering Luke too.

Briggs.

Why had that name sounded familiar?

He silently sounded it out, trying to see if the shape would trigger a memory. But no luck.

He was certain he'd never worked with a Briggs before. So, he must have heard the name somewhere. And considering the context, that didn't help calm Luke down at all.

"Hey there soldier!"

He turned around to see Mr. Nobody walking up behind him. His casual militaristic greetings always amused Luke. Especially considering the amount of power the other man had.

Luke stopped and waited for the other man to catch up. Despite this, Mr. Nobody took his time. He tended to set the pace for whatever task was at hand. Normally that amused Luke, but right now he was a little distracted.

"Looking for anyone in particular?" The shorter man asked as he finally reached him.

The corner of Luke's mouth twitched as he answered. "Nobody in particular."

Mr. Nobody laughed and slapped Luke's shoulder. He had the feeling that was one of the reasons Mr. Nobody had chosen his specific moniker. A fun homage to the Greek myth.

"Well, looking for nobody sounds like the perfect way to find nothing. But short of nothing, what can I do for you?"

Mr. Nobody's light tone helped distract Luke from his current mood, but not for long.

"I wanted to ask you about-"

"Hey!"

Both men turned to see Brian marching up to them.

"Mr. O'Conner." Nobody greeted him. "Didn't realize you guys got back already."

But Brian apparently wasn't in the mood for niceties.

"What's going on with Shaw?"

Mr. Nobody shifted his stance so most of his weight was resting on one leg. He glanced between Brian and Luke. "Right, you probably want an update. Well, the good news is Dom helped us catch him. So he's off the streets, and the world's a little safer for it."

Brian shook his head. "But you're not sending him to prison." It wasn't a question. 

Mr. Nobody exhaled, managing to make the breath sound regretful. "No, no we’re not."

He began walking, leaving Luke and Brian to either keep up with him or get left behind. Again, another way to control the conversation and those in it. Something he'd probably perfected while managing a bunch of strong-headed alphas with military egos.

"You have to do something." Brian said. And Luke had to admire his persistence. "What those people are planning has nothing to do with Shaw being a criminal and you know it."

Mr. Nobody waved an appeasing hand.

"O'Conner, I understand your concern." Brian's jaw clenched hard in response. "But this is out of my hands. Hansen needed a new omega for one of his soldiers, and unfortunately I owed him a favor."

Another warning light flicked on in Luke's head. He reached out and firmly gripped Mr. Nobody's arm, pulling him to a halt. But Brian beat him to asking the question.

"What do you mean, _new_ omega?"

Mr. Nobody looked between the two men cornering him in the hallway. Luke could see him crunching the numbers in his head, trying to decide if being evasive was the right call. He must have realized that it wasn’t, because after a moment he sighed.

“Sergeant Briggs is one of General Hansen’s favorite soldiers. The problem is, he’s a little too good at his job. Some alphas let their rage get out of control in the field, and occasionally innocent people get hurt.” Mr. Nobody fiddled with his sunglasses. “But when you bond those kinds of alphas with an omega, it usually levels them out.”

Luke suddenly remembered where he’d heard the name Briggs before. The sergeant had been officially reprimanded several times for unnecessary brute force while on active duty, and a number of domestic disputes while off-duty. Luke had gone out of his way to blacklist Briggs from ever being transferred into his team. Any other soldier would have been dishonorably discharged. But some of the higher-ups liked Briggs’s ruthlessness, especially when they could direct that rage toward their enemies. He was their attack dog.

But last Luke had heard, he was already bonded to an omega.

He tilted his head, not liking where this was going. “What happened to Briggs’s omega?”

When Mr. Nobody didn’t respond immediately, the awful feeling in Luke’s stomach twisted into something worse. And it had nothing to do with the angry scents O’Conner was emitting. “What. Happened?”

“He killed her.” Mr. Nobody spoke. “The doctor on the military base ruled it an accident but...”

Brian sucked in an angry hiss through his teeth and quickly circled the hallway before coming back. “So you’re throwing him Shaw like a new goddamn chew toy?”

Mr. Nobody shook his head. “I didn’t know General Hansen would select Briggs specifically.” 

“But someone like him.” Brian nodded slowly.

At this point the hallways reeked of copper and peppercorn so much it made Luke’s nose itch. But he didn’t complain. He was just as disgusted.

“Shaw betrayed and murdered his entire MI6 team along with committing countless other crimes. He would have gotten the death sentence or life in prison anyway.” Mr. Nobody’s words sounded as weak as the excuse itself. 

“Not like this.” Luke said.

Brian focused on Mr. Nobody, glaring at him. “You can’t just stand by and let General Hansen do this.” 

“Do you have another solution in mind, Mr. O’Conner?” Mr. Nobody clearly wasn’t too thrilled with how things were turning out.

Brian gave an exaggerated shrug. “Just send him to prison.”

Nobody shook his head. “It would just be a matter of time before someone else, a corrupt guard or an opportunistic prisoner, came along and tried to force a bond.”

“Send him to a prison for omegas then.”

Luke winced. He knew Mr. Nobody’s answer before the beta even opened his mouth.

“O’Conner, the only omega prisons that exist are for petty criminals. Places like that aren’t equipped to handle someone like Shaw.”

Brian glanced at Luke for help, but they were both coming up short. 

They couldn’t let Shaw go. He _was_ still a criminal.

But any form of imprisonment left him vulnerable to people like Briggs or General Hansen using him to their own benefit.

The sound of a military helicopter approaching caused all three men to glance upwards.

“Well gentlemen, whatever plan you had, it’s too late now.”

* * *

Before they unstrapped Deckard from the table, guards had fastened military-grade restraints around his wrists, which were then attached to a metal collar around his neck. The final humiliation came in the form of a lead-chain that was connected to the collar.

“You really think this is necessary?” Deckard asked as Sheppard hauled him to his feet. He smirked at the alpha. “Are you really that scared of me?”

Sheppard glared and gave the chain an experimental yank. It would have tripped Deckard off his feet if he hadn’t been expecting it.

“You won’t be so cocky in an hour.”

Dr. Jamil was fiddling with his hands beside the exam table, clearly uncomfortable. He eventually noticed Deckard staring and stopped fidgeting. “Uh, I’ll still be here after… I mean, once Sergeant Briggs…”

He sighed and shook his head before refocusing. “I’ll help patch you up and make sure everything’s alright after… after.”

Deckard swallowed and nodded. His stomach twisted unexpectedly. He knew for him to get out of here, everything that happens from this point on must be executed perfectly. Which it would, because Deckard was very good at what he did. He couldn’t afford not to be.

But somehow, the stakes felt especially high this time. 

The risk of dying came with the life Deckard led. He had accepted that a long time ago. This threat was different. These people weren’t planning on killing him. But they might as well be. He had no intention of letting some knotheaded alpha keep him for themselves like some kind of pet.

That was never the life he wanted.

He'd wanted happiness once. The safety and comfort of having someone watching his back. But as a partner, not someone who thought they owned him.

Deckard had found that once. But was eventually reminded that he didn't deserve that kind of life. He wasn't meant for peace.

The medbay doors slid open and General Hansen walked in. “Is he ready?” 

At Dr. Jamil's hesitant nod, the blacksuits that followed the general stepped into Deckard's personal space, took the lead chain from Sheppard, and began marching him out of the medbay.

Deckard smiled apologetically at Sheppard, enjoying the way the alpha glared at him. "Looks like you're not invited to the party."

Sheppard growled and crossed his arms. He was probably going for intimidation, but it came across more like a petulant child.

As one final dig, Deckard glanced over his shoulder as Hansen and the three blacksuits pulled him out of the medbay and said. "I'll see you around." 

The doors slid closed before he could see the alpha's reaction.

Silence permeated throughout the halls as he was led away. Deckard faced forward, matching the general's stride so he wasn't dragged around like a dog.

It wasn't a grueling pace by any means. It felt like a death march. Which was fine, because it gave Deckard time to think.

He went over everything he knew about isolation pods. They were meant to keep an omega's scent contained during their heat, so it didn't distract any alphas or put the omega at risk. Once the door was shut, no one could enter until the automatic timer ran its course.

It was the locking system that interested Deckard. It had to be a heavy-duty sliding lock, virtually unbreakable. Chances are it was the same kind used in either supermax prisons or bank safes, which meant their security and error procedures were most likely the same too.

He could work with that. He just wished he knew for certain exactly what he was working with.

The hallway opened up to a larger room, and Deckard wasn’t surprised to find that there was an audience waiting.

Mr. Nobody was standing with his hands clasped behind his back in a casual at-ease position, accompanied by a few soldiers.

Dominic Toretto was here too, along with his team. They all watched him with varied expressions ranging from impassive to uncomfortable. 

Deckard wasn't surprised to smell the sharp, angry scent of peppercorn. But he was a little confused that it didn't feel directed at him.

His gaze trailed over the crowd, past Toretto and Luke Hobbs until he found the source: Brian O'Conner.

Of course. Deckard had read his file. It made sense that another omega would be angry over what was about to happen. But it was also a testament to O'Conner's character that he could be this upset on behalf of someone who put his family in harm's way. It almost made Deckard feel guilty at blowing up their home.

Almost.

At least the conflicting scents helped cover up Deckard’s own. He didn’t want to give any of these people the satisfaction of knowing he was nervous. 

Deckard tried to muffle those feelings by thinking of better times. Giving himself a point in the storm to focus on and let all the dark clouds fade into the background for at least a moment.

The problem was most of those better times involved family. And those memories were tainted now. Hattie hasn't spoken to him in years, and Owen…

Owen's in a coma right now. And when he thinks about his brother, all Deckard can do is worry. And worrying won't help anyone right now. If Deckard wants to see his brother again, he'd need to focus.

He glanced up and down the line of soldiers (none of them too impressive) then looked over to Hansen. "You haven't actually picked your alpha from this sorry lot, have you?"

"No, he didn't." A thick Texas accent responded from behind.

* * *

Brian and Shaw both turned in the direction of the speaker.

Sergeant Briggs was built like a tank. Tall, broad, and bulging muscles making him practically hunch over.

The alpha stepped up to Deckard with a smile that made Brian immediately hate the man. “You know, when my CO contacted me saying a buddy of his had an unbound omega on his hands, I couldn’t believe my luck.” He stared down as Shaw with cold blue eyes and inhaled slowly. “You smell just about ready to submit.”

Deckard squinted up at the man, his face unreadable. "Submit, huh? You do know that I technically outrank you, right? So, if anyone's going to be submitting…"

Brian found himself stifling a chuckle. But it seemed like he was the only one who appreciated Deckard's composure.

Briggs took a swing at Deckard, but Shaw was faster. Despite being hampered by his restraints, he was able to easily dodge the fist. He didn't even look surprised. Briggs unexpectedly looked pleased.

He snorted and slowly circled Deckard until he was pressed up against his back. “My last omega was fragile." Briggs reached around and tilted Shaw's head. He bent down to press his nose against the exposed scent gland. Shaw stiffened, growling low at the threat. His defiance once again caused the alpha to smile. Briggs released Deckard and circled back to face him. "I’m glad to see you've got more fight in ya.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Brian saw Luke grimace and walk away, most likely retreating to the garage.

He didn't blame him. Brian didn't want to see this either.

Deckard rolled his shoulders. "I don’t belong to anyone. And I’m certainly not interested in becoming _your_ anything."

Briggs smiled, his canines flashing as he reached out and played with the chain connected to Shaw’s leash. “Oh, you’ll soon find I don’t really care about what you think. After I’m through today, there’s only one thing you’ll be fit for.”

He turned and yanked on the chain, nearly causing Deckard to trip over himself as Briggs dragged him closer to the isolation pod. The alpha gave it another harsh tug, causing Shaw to tumble to the floor. He was coughing and curling in on himself, reaching for the collar that was currently cutting off his windpipe. Briggs didn't seem to care. He just kept moving forward.

Dom began to turn away, but Brian reached out and grabbed his arm, keeping him in place.

“You don’t get to ignore this.” He said. “You helped make this happen. The least you can do is watch.”

At first Dom looked like he was going to argue, but stilled, nodding.

No, Toretto's got the right idea." Mr. Nobody looked around. "Not all of us need to be here." He directed his attention toward Hanson. "Your men can stand guard. The rest of us can go back to work. We can finish the paperwork over drinks."

Brian couldn't decide if he wanted to throw up or pick a fight with everyone in this room. Mr. Nobody had shown remorse earlier. He didn’t understand what had changed.

At some point Deckard had managed to get to his feet and was watching people slowly leave until it was just the general’s soldiers Brian, and Toretto.

As Briggs continued to drag him to the isolation pod, Deckard met Brian’s stare.

He wanted to say something. 

Like maybe, _sorry_. 

Or, _I tried to do something to help._

Or... _All your evil deeds aside, it must have been incredibly lonely keeping your alignment a secret. I understand, and I wish things could have been different._

But Brian knew none of that would help right now.

“Come on, Brian.” Dom spoke, gently coaxing him away.

Brain gave one final glance over his shoulder. Briggs was stepping into the isolation pod, an ugly grin on his face as he tugged Deckard in after him.

The air was tinged with the briny scent of saltwater. Regret. 

It intermingled with the spiced and syrupy arousal that Briggs emitting, but Brian could still smell it. And he knew it was coming from Dom. Even he understood that this wasn’t a victory. 

If only he’d figured that out sooner.

* * *

Deckard’s ears were ringing, and there was a burning ache pooling in his stomach that he wanted to blame on nerves. But he knew it was his heat creeping up on him.

“The general mentioned that some alpha had already tried bonding with you.” Briggs said, stepping into the isolating pod and yanking on the chain around Deckard’s neck. He grinned at the slight resistance Deckard gave, seeming amused more than annoyed.

_ He thinks this is inevitable. _ Deckard gritted his teeth at the thought. 

The Texan opened his mouth again, licking his lips. "But that's okay. I don't mind sloppy seconds.”

Everything Briggs said dug under Deckard’s skin and made him want to retch. And his scent reeked. Like hot tar and dry grass. Everything about the alpha repelled Deckard in ways he just couldn’t process right now.

Partially because his heat was starting, which was making thinking clearly extremely difficult. But also because he was trying very hard to focus on escaping right about now.

He watched as the small green LED light on the wall turned red and the cell-door began to slide shut.

Now or never.

Deckard slipped his hands free from his restraints. He'd used the pen to pick them while on the ground. With a quick flick of his wrist, he angled the lead chain between the lock and the cell's frame. The door tried to close around the metal but failed. 

The hairs on the back of Deckard’s neck tingled. He dodged left just as Briggs swung out to grab him.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He waited a second before twisting around and kicking upward. The heel of his foot caught Briggs in the throat, sending the larger man stumbling backwards and coughing.

Deckard turned his attention back to the lock.

The mechanism retracted and tried to close again, continuing to crush and distort the chain with each failure.

This was it. Deckard thought. If the door breaks the chain but manages to lock, he's screwed. If the door jams with the chain still intact, he's doubly screwed. For all intended purposes he'd be chained to the wall with no way of escaping Briggs once the alpha recovered.

But if the door broke the chain and the lock failed…

Deckard watched the mechanism try to seal shut a third time. The chain finally grinding and snapping apart under the pressure. 

He held his breath, biting the inside of his mouth. 

After a moment the lock retracted, and the light on the door blinked green.

Deckard exhaled. Thank god.

He lept towards the door at the same time Briggs recovered. He gripped Deckard's shoulder and yanked him back.

"Get back here you fucking-"

Deckard used the momentum to spin around, slip the pen from his sleeve and bury it in the alpha's eye socket. 

Briggs reeled back, screaming and reaching for his face. The pen twitched and jerked as his face spammed from the pain.

Deckard wanted to stay and finish the job, but right now escape was the priority.

Miraculously, the guards outside had only noticed something was wrong when Briggs started screaming. That had given Deckard time to cross the distance between them. He took that opportunity to use the chain attached to his neck and wrap it around the closest guard’s neck and choke him out. A second guard ran up while Deckard was still restraining the first, but a well-placed kick broke one of their kneecaps. Both guards collapsed to the ground in unison.

The third guard had remained frozen until that moment. He reacted in just enough time for Deckard to use the metal chain to whip him in the face, sending him falling to the floor with a broken nose and shattered cheekbone. He wasn’t going to be getting up anytime soon.

Deckard surveyed the area. Hansen’s men were scattered across the floor. The sound of men groaning (and Briggs still screaming) was the only sign that something was wrong. People would be investigating the sound soon enough.

Stopping only long enough to steal a knife from one of the guards and use it to pick the lock for the collar around his neck, Deckard began moving down the corridor that led in the opposite direction of the medbay. 

He paused again at the first intersection. Deckard looked between the two hallways and chose the one on the left just based on instinct alone. But before he kept moving, Deckard ran a hand over the back of his neck and wiped it off on the wall of the right hallway, spreading his scent and muddling his trail. That would hopefully buy him some extra time.

For the next couple minutes, he crept silently around corners, marking up random doorways and corridors as he went.

Deckard’s mind was turning foggy and his legs began to shake. The urge to curl up with the next warm body he encountered grew stronger and stronger, making him all the more aware of the internal countdown to a full-blown heat that was slowly ticking away. He had to get out of here.

He took the next corner a little faster, and nearly collided with Sheppard.

The alpha looked equally surprised, but Deckard couldn’t help but smile. “Told you I’d see you around.”

Sheppard reached for his weapon a second too late.

Deckard flipped the stolen knife in his hand and darted forward, burying it in the alpha’s inner thigh.

Sheppard collapsed to the floor, swearing and screaming as he gripped the handle and pulled it out.

“You don’t want to--” Deckard began, but he was too late. The moment the knife was removed, blood gushed from the severed femoral artery and coated the floor.

Sheppard looked up at him with a combination of horror and rage. But his attention was quickly directed to keeping pressure on the open wound, hoping to stem the flow.

If someone came by soon enough, he might survive. But Deckard wasn’t waiting around to find out. Especially since Sheppard started calling for security.

Deckard was running now, slipping occasionally from the blood on the bottom of his feet.

By the time he reached the garage he was panting from exertion. He propped himself up against any wall or car he passed to help keep himself upright. His heat had started, but freedom was in sight. He couldn’t stop now.

Deckard was so out of it that he didn’t notice the other presence in the room until the person was practically right on top of him.

“How the hell did you get out?”

* * *

Luke had retreated to the garage to distract himself from what was happening elsewhere in the building. Shaw wasn’t a good person (a trait that Luke suspected ran in the family), but that didn’t mean he deserved what General Hansen and Mr. Nobody had planned.

So imagine his surprise when Deckard Shaw came stumbling into the garage, splattered with blood from head to toe.

Luke froze, expecting Shaw to spot him and either run or start another fight.

But instead he stumbled from along the wall to Roman’s car, propping himself up against it and trying to even out his breathing.

That was the moment the scent hit him. Luke tensed, momentarily frozen by the warm delicious smell of warm brown sugar and tea. His mouth watered unconsciously. If he thought Shaw smelled good before…

But the spell was broken when Deckard took another shaky step towards the open garage.

Right, he should probably step in.

Luke set down his wrench. “How the hell did you get out?”

Shaw started, grabbing whatever weapon he could get his hands on: a tire iron.

“Get the hell away from me.” Deckard rasped, taking another step toward the exit.

Luke followed, holding up a hand. Annoyance oddly blended with the feeling of guilt. He was starting to think he should have just stayed with Sam. In fact, a part of him considered just getting in the car and driving home. But he was a part of this now, and it would be irresponsible to just let Shaw get away. So he asked, “Are you alright?”

Deckard squinted at him suspiciously. “I don’t need your help.”

But Luke could tell by the way his hand was shaking as he brandished his makeshift weapon that Shaw was weakening fast. From the smell of it, his heat had started. That meant his reflexes would be slower than usual and his brain was probably begging for any kind of comfort.

The rational side of Luke knew that meant he had a better chance of beating Shaw in a fight. But at the same time, his alpha-brain was urging Luke to reach out and take care of him. It'd been a very confusing day.

Luke lunged forward. He could sort his feelings out later, once Shaw wasn't at risk of escaping.

He'd been right that the omega's heat would slow him down. Unfortunately, that still meant he was a formidable opponent. But at least his response time had been dulled down to that of a normal soldier instead of the deadly mercenary that blew Luke out of a four-story building without breaking a sweat.

Shaw must have been waiting for him to make the first move. Because the minute Luke took a step forward, he swung the tire iron into his inner thigh, striking the still healing wounds that Shaw had sliced into him during their previous encounter.

Luke groaned, but managed to grab hold of the weapon before Shaw could pull it back for a second strike. He yanked the tire iron over his head, pulling Shaw along with it so the omega's smaller frame swung into Luke's chest.

The sweet scent increased the instant their bodies collided, and Luke swore he heard Shaw try to stifle a groan. He had to admit, he didn't mind the contact either.

A hand touched his chest, and for a moment he thought Shaw might have decided that escape wasn't as appealing as an alpha that could help him through his heat cycle.

But then Shaw pushed against his solid frame, trying to propel himself away to freedom. Luke’s alpha brain complained at the loss, and he reached out, wrapping an arm around Shaw and pulling him back against his chest.

He had him pinned, unable to escape. But it didn't stop Shaw from trying. He was kicking and wriggling, trying to find enough purchase to break free.

Unfortunately his movement had some unexpected side effects, and Shaw quickly stilled when he began to smell the syrupy scent of Luke's own arousal. His heat-addled scent was so strong now Luke could practically taste it. His mouth started salivating in response.

“That better be a gun in your pocket.” Shaw’s voice wavered between threatening and aroused. “Otherwise I might have to kill you.”

The sound of distant alarms and shouting interrupted Luke before he could respond. It also restarted Shaw’s efforts to get away. He was growling and snapping, reminding Luke why everyone was so easily fooled into believing he was an alpha.

Luke looked from Shaw, to the sound of quickly approaching footsteps, then back to Shaw. He couldn't let him escape, but he didn't want to be responsible for handing Shaw back over to Briggs and Hansen either. 

So, he improvised.

With only a moment's hesitation, Luke bent down and sank his teeth into the crook of Shaw's neck. 

Blood rushed into his mouth, tasting sweet and metallic as it coated his tongue. He heard Shaw cry out in both pain and surprise, felt the omega's legs give out beneath him. 

Instinctively, Luke slid an arm around Shaw's waist and held him upright, not wanting to accidentally rip apart his neck. He held them both in place, feeling the rabbit-like speed of Shaw's heart rate match the shallow rise and fall of his chest. The omega had gone quiet except for his almost growled breathing. He willed Deckard to understand that he was trying to help.

Slowly, Luke released his jaw, unconsciously licking at the blood that trailed from the mark he left. He was overcome with the urge to apologize. To pull Deckard into a comforting embrace and make this better. But there was no safety in his arms. Not for Deckard. 

Luke just took something that wasn't his to take. Sure, this was better than letting Briggs bond and break another omega, but he was pretty sure Shaw didn't see it like that.

"Oh goddammit." Mr. Nobody huffed in annoyance as he, General Hansen, and a number of his men finally entered the room. Dom and his crew trailing in after.

Luke watched as a dozen different eyes evaluated the scene. It didn't take long. They just needed to look at Shaw's mauled neck and the blood dripping from Luke's mouth to connect the dots.

“What the hell happened here, soldier?” Hansen demanded, his entire body rigid in anger. But he wasn’t the only one with questions.

"Where…" A deep growl echoed through the hallway everyone has just entered from. "Where the fuck is he?"

Luke felt Shaw tense up beneath his hands as Briggs limped into view.

The alpha's one good eye scanned the room until it landed on Shaw and Luke's possessive hold on him. 

A silence fell over the garage. The kind of silence that dared not be broken. As if the earth itself were holding its breath, waiting to see who would crack first.

"You…" Briggs growled, taking a step forward.

Luke held his ground, not sure who the alpha was addressing.

Briggs was moving quickly now, although his strides were uneven from the pain and rage that was most likely fueling his system. "You scheming, ungrateful fucking whore!" 

Luke instinctively moved his hands to Shaw's shoulders, pulling him closer. Shaw neither fought back nor leaned into Hobbs. The omega remained uncharacteristically impassive as Briggs came within an arm's reach of him.

Soldiers shifted and began to move forward but were brought to a halt at Nobody's raised hand. 

He wanted to see how this would resolve itself, Luke thought.

Briggs hadn't noticed the exchange. He was still staring Shaw down.

"Thought you were too good for me, huh? Thought you could just get away and choose your own knot to keep you good and f--"

No one saw Shaw move, not even Luke. He was so quick no one had seen his hands dart out and snatch up the two hunting knives on Briggs' belt. 

But everyone heard the unmistakable sound of a blade slicing flesh.

A new, shocked silence filled the room as Briggs stumbled back, clutching at his throat as blood spilled from the wound Deckard had carved there.

At the same time, Hansen’s dead body spasmed and hit the ground. The knife Deckard had thrown lodged between the general’s unfocused eyes.

"Oh shit." Luke heard Roman hiss from the other side of the room.

"Like I said before," Shaw said as Briggs collapsed to his knees. The remaining bloody knife gripped tight in a hand trembling with rage. "I don't belong to anyone."

Luke barely had enough time to process those words before Shaw had turned and knocked him to the ground with a strength that should have been impossible in his current state. He straddled his chest and drew the knife back for another strike.

It was only his tactical training that saved his life. Hobbs caught Shaw's arm, stopping the blade centimeters away from his chest. It hovered above his heart. Both men were shaking from exertion as they grappled for Luke’s life. Shaw cried out in rage and was about to press his entire weight into the knife when a muffled shot rang out and he jerked to the side.

Luke gasped and tossed the knife to the side, propping himself up and looking to Shaw.

The omega was lying on the ground, coughing and gripping his ribs where a rubber bullet had struck him.

The scent of bitter ash overwhelmed Shaw’s sweet scent, and Luke fought the urge to help quell that fear. Based on the hatred he saw in Deckard’s eyes, he knew that wasn’t going to happen.

Luke’s world narrowed until it felt like he and Shaw were the only ones in existence. He could feel an invisible tether beginning to form. Taking root in his chest and irrevocably connecting him to Deckard. Emotions that weren’t his, but were now his responsibility, overwhelmed him. Drowning him in rage and fear and despair. Luke wanted to either make it all better or suffocate those emotions (and their owner), so he’d never have to feel them again.

Luke and Deckard stared at each other, panting and breathing in unison as blood pooled beneath their bodies. A wasteland spread between them as reality set in.

They were bonded.

"Well," Nobody sighed and rubbed his forehead. "This just got more complicated."

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
